Brathwaite, for whom photography functioned at the nexus of Black artistic, political, and cultural expression, rhythmically documented jazz scenes in Harlem and the Bronx. In 1956 he founded the African Jazz-Art Society and Studios (AJASS) in the South Bronx, where he made structured portraits of the Grandassa Models, a group of women who were part of the Black Is Beautiful movement of the 1960s and ’70s. “Black Is Beautiful was my directive . . . It was a time when people were protesting injustices related to race, class, and human rights around the globe,” Brathwaite said. “I focused on perfecting my craft so that I could use my gift to inspire thought, relay ideas, and tell stories of our struggle, our work, our liberation. . . . Oppression still exists today, and we must keep fighting, keep on pushing until we are free.”

Gallery label from

Ideas of Africa: Portraiture and Political Imagination, 2025

Medium Inkjet print, printed 2024
Dimensions Image: 15 × 15" (38.1 × 38.1 cm) Frame: 23 1/4 × 23 1/4 × 1 1/2" (59.1 × 59.1 × 3.8 cm)
Credit Committee on Photography Fund
Object number 231.2018
Department Photography

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